March 21, 2024Dual-Wavelength Light Approach Speeds Vat-Based 3D PrintingResearchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a much faster 3D printing process using dual-wavelength light that yields tougher, stronger nonmetallic parts. Read more
March 21, 2024Bio-Polyethylene: When Performance Meets SustainabilityThe plastics market demands sustainable alternatives to conventional fossil-based plastics. Bio-Polyethylene emerges as a promising solution, offering environmental advantages and maintaining performance. Read more
March 20, 2024The Polymers Behind Apple’s Vision ProThe Apple Vision Pro represents a groundbreaking advancement in augmented reality (AR) technology, driven by the strategic integration of advanced materials, particularly polymers. Read more
March 20, 2024Top 5 Additives for Packaging ProductionThe inclusion of additives plays a crucial role in augmenting the functionality of packaging materials, ensuring they fulfill the varied requirements of different applications. This comprehensive analysis covers the main types of additives and functionalities to improve your packaging production. Read more
March 19, 2024Integrating Lifecycle Analyses for Aviation SustainabilityBetween 2016-2018, aviation’s 2.8% global CO2 emissions also included significant contrails and soot pollution challenges. Read more
March 19, 2024Laser Printed Polymers: 3D Printing without SolventsResearchers at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University in Sweden have unlocked a game-changing potential in 3D printing technology. By hacking into a 3D printer, they’ve transformed it into a versatile tool akin to a laser printer, capable of printing various polymers without the need for solvents, chemicals, or stringent clean room conditions. Read more
March 18, 2024Mastering Clamping Force CalculationClamping force calculation is essential for injection molding projects to avoid expensive corrections later. Read more
March 16, 2024Greenland Minerals as Potential Flame RetardantsPyroSpar, a derivative of the mineral anorthosite, is emerging as a novel element in the non-halogenated flame retardant’s domain. As industries shift toward eco-friendly alternatives, its distinctive attributes propose a novel approach to augmenting fire resistance, emphasizing sustainability. Read more
March 15, 2024Pioneering Mono-Material ShoesDecathlon, a leader in sports equipment and apparel, is stepping up to address shoe pollution with its innovative mono-material shoes, designed for more efficient recycling. Shoe pollution poses a major environmental challenge. Millions of discarded shoes, made from a mix of materials, end up in landfills each year. These materials release harmful substances as they slowly decompose. Read more
March 15, 2024Next-Gen Smart Skin: Force, Humidity, and Temperature Sensing PropertiesEU-supported SmartCore project creates nanorods with a core-shell structure comprised of a multi-stimuli-responsive smart polymer and a piezoelectric ZnO shell. An array of these stimuli-responsive nanorods on a surface constitutes smart skin. These combine force, humidity, and temperature sensing (F-H-T) with high spatial resolution. Read more
March 14, 2024The Impact of Removing Problematic Materials in PackagingThe Consumer Goods Forum’s Golden Design Rule to remove problematic elements from packaging targets elements like undetectable carbon black, PVC, EPS, PS, PETG in rigid plastic packaging, and oxo-degradable materials. Its implementation promises profound environmental benefits and aligns with global sustainability goals. Read more
March 14, 2024Energy Management Systems – Assessing PerformanceIn most plastics processing electricity is the main energy source. Electricity use is not, as is sometimes thought, fixed and uncontrollable, it is variable and controllable. For most sites, the electricity use will be directly related to the production volume in a given time period. Read more